Leaf River Firemen’s Pancake Supper draws more than 700

LEAF RIVER —The Leaf River Fire Protection District continued its annual tradition of putting on a pancake supper fundraiser last Saturday.

More than 700 people attended the Leaf River Firemen’s Pancake Supper, which took place the evening of Feb. 25. Leaf River firefighters and EMTs served pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice, coffee and milk; the cost was a donation.

“We’ve always had good support from the community,” Fire Chief Steve Shelton said at the event. “Tonight’s been really good. The weather’s cooperated.”

Many people told him they stopped by the pancake supper before heading to the Rockford IceHogs hockey game, he said.

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Leaf River Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Jeremy Glick makes another batch of pancakes on Feb. 25, 2023, during the annual Leaf River Firemen's Pancake Supper. Next to him, firefighter Austin Yuill cleans a grill in preparation for the next batch of sausage. A little over 700 people attended the fundraiser at the Leaf River fire station, raising $2,050. (Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media)

The supper is put on by the Leaf River Firefighters Association, which helps the Fire District purchase needed equipment with the funds raised, Shelton said. A profit of $2,050 was raised this year, which accounts for the cost of the event, he said.

“A lot of times, the Association will use money from stuff like this to offset some of the costs for the District,” Shelton said. “We’re actually looking at upgrading some of our medical jump bags. We’re looking to buy two bags. The District’s going to buy one and the Association’s going to buy one.”

A jump bag is a first responder kit for medical emergencies.

The Fire District also uses funds to bring Santa Claus to town during the Christmas season and to purchase Halloween candy to hand out to children, Shelton said.

“A lot of the money, it goes back into helping support equipment here or back into the community,” he said.

Events like the pancake supper give community members a chance to meet their first responders, Shelton noted. That means, if a first responder is called, hopefully they’ll be more than a stranger to the person who needs them, he said.

The Leaf River Fire Protection District is staffed 100% by volunteers, including EMTs.

“For a group of volunteers, I couldn’t ask for a better group of people,” Shelton said.